In today’s increasingly secular public square, Catholic professionals are called to bring the Gospel into the marketplace, the ballot box, and the corridors of power — not merely by personal witness, but by influencing laws and policies in ways that reflect the Church’s moral teaching. The recent case in Colombia shows how lay Catholics can make a genuine impact through political engagement.
On July 30, 2025, two bills—known as the “Invisible Children” bill and the “Families United, Society United” bill—were introduced in the Colombian Senate. The first proposes to recognize the unborn child (“nasciturus”) as a legal entity, affirming what science and Catholic teaching uphold: that life begins at fertilization. The second aims to combat domestic violence, reinforce the family as the foundational unit of society, and strengthen legal protections for mothers and families.
Why Colombia Matters to Lay Catholic Professionals
These initiatives come not from the clergy but from elected lay believers: Senator Mauricio Giraldo and Representative Luis Miguel López Aristizábal. Their leadership was supported by the pro‑life caucus (bancada pro vida) and took place under the careful legal framework that Colombia’s Constitution affirms the inviolability of life from conception.
This example illustrates clearly how lay Catholics—informed by the values of the Gospel and Catholic social teaching—can initiate, support, and shape legislation. The Invisible Children and Families United bills are not merely symbolic statements; they are concrete interventions to protect life, support families, and oppose the culture of death through legislative action.
The Strategy: Faith‑Rooted, Professionally Applied
For Catholic professionals—whether lawyers, doctors, entrepreneurs, educators, or civic leaders—the Colombian case illustrates a strategy worth emulating:
- Know the teaching: Science confirms life begins at conception, and the Catechism affirms its sanctity. Lay advocacy must be grounded in both reason and faith.
- Engage the legislative process: The Colombian pastors worked with elected officials who share their values, providing research, testimony, and moral conviction to shape bills that reflect Gospel ethics.
- Mobilize publics wisely: The bancada pro vida gathered broad political support. In the U.S. and elsewhere, Catholic professionals can similarly collaborate across professions and denominations for principled policy.
- Frame the issue well: Rather than engaging merely in ideological rhetoric, Colombian advocates cast the bills in terms of legal status of the unborn and protection of the family—messages resonant with both Catholic and broader societal values.
Broader Resonance Beyond Colombia
Colombia’s success follows decades of similar lay-led efforts across Latin America. Conservative lay Catholics utilized legal mobilization, research networks, and civic organizing to influence constitutional court decisions and limit legal expansion of abortion and other threats to human dignity. As religious pluralism increased, lay networks—including Caritas and other Catholic social organizations—took on more responsibility to advance social justice and life issues from the bottom up.
Implications for Catholic Professionals Today
- Moral clarity matters: Catholics must be prepared to articulate, in public language, why respect for life and support for families is a common good, not just a sectarian preference.
- Professional excellence opens doors: Expertise in law, medicine, economics, or public policy gives credibility when Catholics testify before committees, draft legislative language, or advise lawmakers.
- Network broadly: Coalition building—across faith groups and civil‑society organizations—amplifies impact. Colombian Catholic advocates partnered with a pro‑life caucus and utilized shared datasets and public testimony to strengthen their case.
- Act locally to influence nationally: Teams of committed professionals may begin in a diocese, a university, or a parish, but their influence can scale to national policy debates.
From Gospel Values to Legislative Action
The bishops remind us that the laity are not merely “part of” the Church — they are the Church in the world. Catholic professionals must therefore be intentional:
- Participate in legislative hearings.
- Support initiatives that affirm human dignity and protect the vulnerable.
- Use professional expertise to clarify and inform public understanding.
- Build relational bridges rather than ideological walls.
Final Reflection
The unfolding events in Colombia demonstrate that lay Catholics, grounded in Gospel values and equipped with professional competence, can influence the world for the better—from life‑affirming laws to protections for families under stress. Catholic professionals today have the opportunity—and the vocation—to shape public life so that laws reflect truth, justice, and love.
May the Colombian example inspire all lay Catholic professionals to step forward confidently, ethically, and effectively into public life—bringing the light of the Gospel into policy, politics, and society.
Like what we do? Share this piece, and follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn.
